1:00 am in N. Carolina and I'm still knitting............I just started a scarf knitted end-to-end, requiring 298 stitches, so I didn't want to use my usual long-tail CO. I've never done a 'knitted' CO, but tutorial looked like that was the one I should use. Trouble is, in knitting the first row, when I moved each stitch from left needle to right each CO stitch seemed very loose. Now I'm starting the 3rd row, thinking it might look smoother once I really got going, but my base stitches really look kinda "loopy", and I'm usually a rather tight knitter.
Does the knitted CO usually turn out very loose? I'm not real happy with this and even tho' I hate to frog, I do want to like the scarf when I'm finished. The pattern is rather loose & lacy starting on row#4. It is a pattern I got from a LYS in Black Mtn. using Koigu yarn (called X Stitch Pattern) --- not one I found online.
Knitted CO was always loose for me, too--and I wasn't happy with that look, so I have switched to a cable cast-on for most of my work, or a ribbed variation if my garment starts with a ribbed edge. My CO edges are MUCH neater now!
1:00 am in N. Carolina and I'm still knitting............I just started a scarf knitted end-to-end, requiring 298 stitches, so I didn't want to use my usual long-tail CO. I've never done a 'knitted' CO, but tutorial looked like that was the one I should use. Trouble is, in knitting the first row, when I moved each stitch from left needle to right each CO stitch seemed very loose. Now I'm starting the 3rd row, thinking it might look smoother once I really got going, but my base stitches really look kinda "loopy", and I'm usually a rather tight knitter.
Does the knitted CO usually turn out very loose? I'm not real happy with this and even tho' I hate to frog, I do want to like the scarf when I'm finished. The pattern is rather loose & lacy starting on row#4. It is a pattern I got from a LYS in Black Mtn. using Koigu yarn (called X Stitch Pattern) --- not one I found online.
1:00 am in N. Carolina and I'm still knitting............I just started a scarf knitted end-to-end, requiring 298 stitches, so I didn't want to use my usual long-tail CO. I've never done a 'knitted' CO, but tutorial looked like that was the one I should use. Trouble is, in knitting the first row, when I moved each stitch from left needle to right each CO stitch seemed very loose. Now I'm starting the 3rd row, thinking it might look smoother once I really got going, but my base stitches really look kinda "loopy", and I'm usually a rather tight knitter.
Does the knitted CO usually turn out very loose? I'm not real happy with this and even tho' I hate to frog, I do want to like the scarf when I'm finished. The pattern is rather loose & lacy starting on row#4. It is a pattern I got from a LYS in Black Mtn. using Koigu yarn (called X Stitch Pattern) --- not one I found online.
If this is at all helpful, when I make scarves, placemats, hats or other items I always start the cast-on with a size or two smaller needles than what I'll use for the body. Doing so makes the edges tighter and cleaner looking. For instance, I'm in the process of knitting a beaded placemat with a mock kilting pattern on size 9 needles. The cast on and subsequent few border rows are in a different stitch and done with size 7 needles. In this way, the cast on and edge isn't floppy and loose.
I've tried the cable cast-on, but I'm slower than molasses in winter. If I had to cast-on that many stitches, I might just do the long tail using an second ball of yarn so I wouldn't have to worry about running out.
1:00 am in N. Carolina and I'm still knitting............I just started a scarf knitted end-to-end, requiring 298 stitches, so I didn't want to use my usual long-tail CO. I've never done a 'knitted' CO, but tutorial looked like that was the one I should use. Trouble is, in knitting the first row, when I moved each stitch from left needle to right each CO stitch seemed very loose. Now I'm starting the 3rd row, thinking it might look smoother once I really got going, but my base stitches really look kinda "loopy", and I'm usually a rather tight knitter.
Does the knitted CO usually turn out very loose? I'm not real happy with this and even tho' I hate to frog, I do want to like the scarf when I'm finished. The pattern is rather loose & lacy starting on row#4. It is a pattern I got from a LYS in Black Mtn. using Koigu yarn (called X Stitch Pattern) --- not one I found online.
If this is at all helpful, when I make scarves, placemats, hats or other items I always start the cast-on with a size or two smaller needles than what I'll use for the body. Doing so makes the edges tighter and cleaner looking. For instance, I'm in the process of knitting a beaded placemat with a mock kilting pattern on size 9 needles. The cast on and subsequent few border rows are in a different stitch and done with size 7 needles. In this way, the cast on and edge isn't floppy and loose.
YET, for some using a different size needle to cast on can lead to an item that turns into a parralelogram (sp). and grows in size instead of straight edges.
Here is a grid of co - if you can't find one that works for you here - crochet lol
For a project like your scarf, I would use the Guernsey cast on. It is a decorative cast on resulting in little knots. Find it on www.newstitchaday.com. Search for the Guernsey cast on. There is a video there. Good luck.
1:00 am in N. Carolina and I'm still knitting............I just started a scarf knitted end-to-end, requiring 298 stitches, so I didn't want to use my usual long-tail CO. I've never done a 'knitted' CO, but tutorial looked like that was the one I should use. Trouble is, in knitting the first row, when I moved each stitch from left needle to right each CO stitch seemed very loose. Now I'm starting the 3rd row, thinking it might look smoother once I really got going, but my base stitches really look kinda "loopy", and I'm usually a rather tight knitter.
Does the knitted CO usually turn out very loose? I'm not real happy with this and even tho' I hate to frog, I do want to like the scarf when I'm finished. The pattern is rather loose & lacy starting on row#4. It is a pattern I got from a LYS in Black Mtn. using Koigu yarn (called X Stitch Pattern) --- not one I found online.
its my guess that if the 4th row is lacy.. then with washing and some shaping you might be ok.. the only thing I can think of is to find a bind off that is loopy too so they look the same.. or simular... best of luck.. thats a lot of stitches...
I knitted cardigans for three of my daughters and four or five of my grand-daughters. These called for the front band and button band to be knitted separately and stitched on. I thought this was a tedious way, so I picked up the stitches right round the cardigans on a long circular needle. This involved over 300 stitches, but I enjoyed the challenge and it was much neater than if I had stitched the band on. I made another cardigan and because there were even more stiches, I picked up from the centre back neck to the lower centre back, again on a long circular needle, then only had to make two neat joins at the back.
I still prefer the long tail cast-on and when doing a large number of sttiches, I put in a marker for every 30 stitches cast on to help count the stitches accurately.
To make sure the tail is long enough, for 298 stitches, I would wrap the yarn around the needle 30 times, then multiply that length times 10, add a short amount and you should have enough yarn to finish the long tail cast-on. I hope I am describing this well. It does work for me.
As far as using the number '30', it just happens to be the one I like. I usually count stitches by 3's : 3, 6, 9, etc.
I have the same problem. Have you tried a crochet cast-on? I just learned about it from a video another forum member told me about. It works well. Directions are on About.com under the New Stitch a Day heading.
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